Phytate Decreases Oxidative Damage Caused by Labile Forms of Iron in Solution, Blood Plasma and in HeLa Cells

Phytate (PHYT, myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate) is a natural product with strong effect on the bioavailability of minerals, especially iron. In this work, we investigated the antioxidant effects of PHYT on models of iron overload disorders (labile plasma iron and labile iron pool) both in solution and in HeLa cells. PHYT has a considerable antioxidant effect, with the benefit of being cell permeant and a normal constituent of human diet. Our results suggest that PHYT may assist organism defenses against iron-overload stress.